


With You I Serve, With You I Fall

by discohargreeves



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Apocalypse (Umbrella Academy), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Klaus Hargreeves, Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Bisexual Diego Hargreeves, Brother Feels, Canon-Typical Klaus Issues, Canon-Typical Violence, Dr. Pogo Lives (Umbrella Academy), F/M, Family Feels, He/Him and They/Them Pronouns for Klaus Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Klaus Hargreeves Central, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, M/M, Minor Diego Hargreeves/Eudora Patch, Non-Binary Klaus Hargreeves, Past Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Drugs, Sober Klaus Hargreeves, Songfic, actually 3 Taylor songs, canon-typical triggers, no beta we die like ben, there is a happy ending !! I promise !!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:41:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28937928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/discohargreeves/pseuds/discohargreeves
Summary: When Klaus was unexpectedly dropped in Vietnam in the late 1960s, he expected himself to get the hell out as soon as humanly possible- to open the briefcase and return to his shithole of a life in 2019.But then he met Dave and suddenly, he wanted to stay. Heneededto stay.OrKlaus meets Dave in the most unexpected circumstances, and when he loses him, he'll do everything he can to get him back. No matter what it takes.
Relationships: Allison Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves/Eudora Patch, Klaus Hargreeves & Everyone, Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Comments: 7
Kudos: 23





	With You I Serve, With You I Fall

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has been my baby ever since Taylor released folklore and I realised how much 'Epiphany' fit Klave. It took me forever to get around to planning and writing it but now, here it is. I'm really proud of this so PLS let me know what you think- any criticism is just as welcome as compliments <3 There will be 3 chapters- I'm not sure how long it'll take them to be posted but yeah, I love you all and thank you for reading, if you'd like to reach my on twt my @ is discohargreeves <3

_keep your helmet, keep your life, son._

There’s likely a certain crowd that would be cynical enough to testify that this is what Klaus deserved. This, of course, being stuck in literal hell on Earth. The sweltering, torturous, and abrasive atmosphere of Vietnam was beyond anything he’d ever felt before, with danger at every corner and death striking at what felt like an unjustified rate. In the past (future?) Klaus had been through more than he thought was humanly possible to survive through; torture, abuse, addiction, rehab, and visions of diarrhetic hippos- the lot of it, but none of it could hold a candle to this. This was brutal, like everything Klaus had ever suffered through multiplied by infinity and sprinkled with a million ghosts. Klaus should want to get out of here, should grab the briefcase and take his ticket. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t because of him.

Because of Dave. 

Dave was something ethereal; something angelic. He was so abruptly and unexpectedly shoved into Klaus’ path by some grace of whatever God. In his old life, Klaus would’ve never took a second glance at someone like him; he was responsible and intelligent and would’ve ran in the most opposite circle to Klaus, but he was witty and charming with a killer smile and the strength to take on thousands. So, perhaps Klaus did deserve the torture of the war- the nightmares, the ghosts and the atrocious scar on his back, but, didn’t a part of him, however small, deserve the rest of it? Deserve Dave? 

“What’re you thinking about?” 

What is it they say? Speak of the Devil and he shall appear? A small voice inside of Klaus entertained the inquiry if this applied to angels too, but he stomped that thought out when he realised how utterly cheesy it was.

“Oh, you know- War. War, terrible war.” He says in his best President Snow impression, to which Dave just raises an eyebrow in that adorable amused smirk that he does when Klaus says something he doesn’t understand (aka any reference post-1968.)

He rolls his eyes, then, and comes to sit next to Klaus on the edge of his bunk. There’s a few other people in the room with them, but they’ll hardly pay them any mind. In fact, everyone’s mostly used to Dave and Klaus completely erasing the concept of personal space around each other- and if anyone has any assumptions, they’re polite enough to keep it to themselves. 

As soon as Dave sits, their eyes meet in a shy but suggestive smile that says _’I really just want to jump your bones right now but we’re like in the middle of a tent in like, a war so i should really not.’_

So, instead, they just stare at each other for a few seconds- eye-fucking, as Klaus once so graciously dubbed it. They stare until Dave clears his throat and bites his lip to mask an overwhelmingly large smile and says;

“I-uh- I found this. Outside.” With that, he raises Klaus’ helmet.

Here’s the thing. Klaus _hates_ the helmet. Not only does it turn his hair into an egregiously repulsive mess- it also smells like something shat itself and then spontaneously combusted in there. Honestly, Klaus doesn’t _want_ to know where the smell came from and he, at all times, wants to be as far away from that helmet as humanly possible. Which is why he ‘accidentally’ ditched it a few miles away from the tent. 

“Noooooooo” Klaus whines, much like a petulant child undergoing punishment, “I _hate_ that thing, how did you even find it?”

“Ah, well I went for a smoke with Charles and Sarge and we ended up walking for a bit. When I saw the helmet on the floor I decided to check it for obscenities on the inside- just in case, you know.” Klaus sighs; around his third week here, he’d gotten hold of a pen and doodled the word ‘fuck’ and a very anatomically accurate drawing of a penis inside, where they couldn’t be seen, and he’d shown Dave his work with a prideful smile. Dave had smiled back, albeit with a fond eye-roll. “When I saw them,” he continues in the present “I knew it was yours. You really have to stop ditching your helmet, babe.” 

Klaus preens slightly at the pet name, but does his best to scowl at Dave, who just shoves the helmet onto Klaus’ lap against his folded arms in response. 

“Seriously, though. If there’s one thing you remember in the middle of battle; make it this. Stick to your helmet and your gun. Without them, you’re fucked. Keep your helmet and you’ll stay alive… and I’d really like you to stay alive.” 

“I should also remember to not get, like shot, blown up, injured or killed, right?”

“Yes, Klaus. Also remember not to get injured. At least not fatefully.” Dave’s eyes shift to Klaus’ shoulder, where a scar lay raised upon his skin- a scar filled with the worst kind of memory for Dave- a memory he’d rather forget. With a quick sigh and his eyes still rooted on his shoulder, he says; “and don’t get killed, either. We still have so much to do together, you and I.” 

Klaus smiles, a soft thing reserved solely for Dave, drawing Dave’s eyes back to their own. Plans of their future or even subtle mentions of it always invoked this same reaction from him- pure joy and optimism. Klaus had never actually looked forward to his future. Sure, they used to ache for the day he could leave The Academy, but it was never excitement, and it was the furthest thing from hope. He knew, from the bottom of his heart, that his life was just this black hole destined to suck him further and further into a bleak abyss until he finally overdosed alone in an alley. At least, they thought it was. Then, Dave happened. Now, he had a vision of their future. They’d get a quaint cottage with a large garden, far removed from any ghosts- hell, from any _people_. Whether it was here or in his time, he and Dave were going to be together- they were _meant_ to build a life together and to get properly married (legal or not) and to be _happy_.

They just had to get through this stupid fucking war first. 

Speaking of- 

“Katz, Hargreeves- suit up. We gotta head out.” Came a burly voice from the front of the tent. Apparently, in all their daydreaming and eye-fucking, the tent had emptied to get on the bus to wherever-the-fuck. Dave and Klaus nodded and made a motion to stand, prompting their Sergeant to leave back to the bus.

“Hey,” Dave whispered, but before Klaus could respond, he was being tugged into Dave’s chest with a force that was kind of totally hot, and his forehead was pressed against the other mans. Slowly, in a complete juxtaposition to the way he pulled him, Dave leans forward and brings their lips together. It’s a slow kiss, Dave’s hand travelling from Klaus’ own to the sharp curve of his jawline, cradling his face like it’s something pure- something _precious_. It was a kiss that says ‘I love you, now let’s go out and kick some ass so we’re one step further to our future together.’ It was a kiss that meant everything to Klaus- one that he would treasure forever, one that held a special place in his heart. 

Mainly because it was their last. 

-

“You better keep that fucking helmet, Hargreeves. Something tells me this ones gonna be a rough one.” Dave whispers in their ear on the bus and Klaus smirks, still a little hazy from kissing Dave (and the joint they’d shared a few hours ago.)

“Wasn’t aware you were an oracle, Katz.”

-

Shit, Klaus thought. Maybe Dave was an oracle. It wouldn’t be the weirdest thing, would it? Klaus could literally see the fucking dead and had a whole host of siblings with other (arguably, better) superpowers. Fuck, he was part of a crime fighting ring from the age of 11 in which he used his superhuman abilities to stop robberies and murders and the rest of it. Dave being an oracle would just be the icing on the cake that was this whole fucking situation. 

It was, and still is, a rough one. A really fucking rough one.

The Charlie’s had the advantage- higher ground, better cover and more men. Their own side’s numbers were deteriorating by the second, and Klaus had seen one too many of his friends get a bullet in their head by now. 

_We’re fucked. We’re so fucked._

He was waiting for it- waiting for their sign to retreat, but it wasn’t fucking coming and there were more bullets whizzing past his ear by the second.

“Lock and load, Charlie’s away!” he yelled, watching the world around him become more and more ashy by the second and holy fuck, he was terrified. He couldn’t let that stop him though. He had to power through- for Dave- for his future with Dave. He focused on the feeling of his shitty helmet on his head and the security of knowing that Dave was right there by his side, and he aimed and shot with the sound of more yells behind him.

“Fire up those claymores!”

_tell us to retreat. please, tell us to fucking retreat._

But he didn’t and they couldn’t, so Klaus took a deep breath as another bullet whizzed past his ear and he said;

“Christ on a cracker! That was a close one, huh Dave?” 

He didn’t expect much in return- maybe a short laugh or snort or an elbow to the ribs. He didn’t expect silence and utter stillness. Dave was never still- as long as he was awake, he was always moving, no matter what. Even if the room was silent and everyone was sitting alone, he seemed to always be moving to some kind of beat. He had music and movement in his heart, did Dave. He was almost as antsy as Klaus, at times, always on the go, always trying to make Klaus go on walks or even _runs_ around the barracks. Klaus said he was crazy, but truthfully he thought it was one of the most endearing things he’d come to learn about Dave.

His uncharacteristic stillness set a pit in Klaus’ stomach as he slowly turned and-

“Dave?” 

_just a flesh wound_

“DAVE?”

 _here’s your rifle_

He slowly turned him onto his back, the pained and _dying_ face of his love swimming so excruciatingly into his vision. He looked like he wanted to speak- like there was something he needed to say, and Klaus knew exactly what it was.

-

_“Klaus? I gotta ask you something darling, but you’re not gonna like it.”_

_They were hidden away in a rotten motel while off on R &R, a single cigarette being shared between them. Currently, it was in Klaus’ possession, who held the smoke a little bit longer in his lungs at Dave’s somber tone._

_Klaus was laying on Dave’s chest, letting the sound of his heartbeat placate the nagging voice that told them that nothing good ever came out of ‘you’re not gonna like it.’_

_“shoot”, he said, ignoring the strain in his voice._

_“i just- if i ever- if anything_ happens _to me, you know like, in the field. I um- i want you to go back.”_

_Silence followed, and Klaus felt Dave’s chest still beneath his head. Klaus wanted, more than anything to sit up and grab Dave’s stupid face with his hands and say “you’re not going anywhere”, then kiss him senseless until the sun rose, but he found himself frozen._

_The reality is, Dave_ could _die, but Klaus can’t imagine anything past Dave dying. He can’t imagine himself staying in Vietnam but he can’t imagine himself going back to 2019 either. Neither of those places were home; not anymore. Home was a person- home was_ his _person._

_“You’re right. I don’t like it” he sighs, but continues “I couldn’t. I- I don’t know- I don’t think I could do life without you” he whispers instead, his voice cracking ever so slightly on the last syllable._

_“You could, babe. You could go back home, you could talk to your siblings and make everything okay with them. And Klaus? If I can, you know i’ll wait for you. I’ll wait forever and more than that for you.”_

__

_Klaus thinks on that for a second, trying not to dwell on the idea that Dave likely wouldn't be able to wait for him- or at least, not in the way he might think. From what he knew about death (which, granted, wasn't much), ghosts couldn't successfully hang around waiting for people. They tended to stay around where they died and in the worst cases, some didn't even know that they were dead. If ghosts could wait around and look for loved ones; why did they spend their entire afterlife screaming at Klaus to find them for him? Sure, Klaus had the advantage of being able to_ see them, _but other than Ben, he hadn't met many sane, coherent ghosts. He didn't want Dave to submit to that fate- if there was another path to take, he wanted him to do that. Those that stuck around, obsessing over people left behind, were those that lost their minds. When he was young, there was a ghost who used to roam The Academy. Klaus isn't sure where exactly she came from, perhaps it was their father, but she was sweet- usually quite protective of Klaus. She'd be in the mausoleum with him, doing whatever she could to defend him from the other spirits and comfort him when they got too much. Klaus was never sure how she'd died as there were no outward signs of damage- perhaps poison or drowning- the two most common invisible deaths he'd come to be aware of._

__

_They'd always wondered why she'd stayed around- from what he'd gathered, ghosts could choose to stay behind if they'd wished it, or they could go 'to the light' (whatever that was), but sometimes they got stuck- obsessing over their death, over revenge or over loved ones. She never gave the impression of being stuck, so she must've been waiting around for someone. One day, she'd told Klaus all about her_.

_She and her girlfriend had been together in the 70's until she'd died, and she was waiting around for her- looking for her or waiting for her to appear, Klaus wasn't sure, but ever since the day she'd talked about her, she'd never been the same. Slowly, she started to become as obsessed at the others. It started with asking a 14 year old seance to go looking for her, to make sure she was okay, and ended with her screaming at a 17 year old seance for ruining her life, for not bringing her love back to her, for making her live this life alone. It ended as it always did, with further torture of Klaus Hargreeves and a pill in his mouth to dull it all_.

_"You don't need to wait for me. You're not going anywhere." He said, though he knew there was no guarantee, which was amplified by the tears evident in his voice, but he couldn't have this conversation. He couldn't imagine Dave as a ghost, obsessing over Klaus for years and years only to hate him when he does find him. He'd rather lose Dave forever than have a Dave he couldn't recognise- or one that couldn't recognise him as the one he loved._

_"Dave. Don't." it comes out way more irritated than he meant it to, but he doesn't apologise, because he just can't._

_"Okay. I'm sorry." He punctuates it with a long kiss to Klaus' forehead, threading his hand through his curls as he does so and whispering another "I'm sorry, love" into Klaus' skin._

__

__

__

__

__

_crawling up the beaches now_

__

“I’ll wait for you.”

__

Echoes of the memory pound at Klaus’ head as he cradles Dave’s face in his lap, screaming himself hoarse for a medic. There’s still shooting- so much shooting, but he doesn’t care. He begs- he _begs_ Dave to stay with him, but the life is slipping from his eyes with every monstrous, aching millisecond that passes. Dave’s still looking into his eyes, and Klaus can’t handle it. Those eyes are supposed to be his future. He’s supposed to look into those eyes when he’s old and grey and know that he fucking made it- he won. He’s supposed to live a life with Dave and get married for real and have kids and- 

__

_Sir, I think he’s bleeding out._

__

“MEDIC!”

__

He can’t do it. He can’t watch Dave’s life slip away with the blood pouring onto his own hands. He shouts again.

__

_Some things you just can’t speak about._

__

_It was Klaus’ birthday- except, he wasn’t even born yet, so logistically- it couldn’t be his birthday? Right?_

__

_Anyway, it was October 1st 1968, and he was in the arms of his love in an abandoned building just outside of camp. It was raining outside, but they were sheltered by some bits of debris and part of a roof, and were covered in a blanket that Dave had snuck out. When Klaus had accidentally let it slip that it was his birthday, Dave orchestrated this whole plan to spend the night alone together- for the first time since their last R &R- and then spent a good half hour trying to find the best place. When he’d stumbled on this building, he’d dragged Klaus by the arm like an excited child at Christmas and kissed everywhere he could reach as soon as they’d settled on the blanket. _

__

_Now, they just lay together, silently basking in the afterglow, and Klaus knew without a doubt, that this was the best birthday he could ever ask for. It even triumphed over the time that Grace had made the most extravagant ice cream cake for them all on their 12th birthday. Mostly because One and Two had ended up in a fist fight over the last slice, causing their dear old dad to be made aware of the ‘unnecessary fun and games’ that they were taking part in. Four had tried to remind him that it was their birthday, but he was met with a swift smack and orders to go to sleep to be properly prepared for his ‘new, special training’ that would commence the day after._

__

_He’d never felt up to a birthday celebration after that day. In fact, he’d been too busy trying to rid of the memories of his ‘special’ training by washing down a shitload of drugs to even remember it was his birthday._

__

_“Hey? Where’d you go?”_

__

_Snapping him out of his stupor, Dave ran a hand through his hair with a small kiss to his forehead, causing Klaus to nuzzle into his warmth and Dave to let out a small chuckle._

__

_“Nowhere. I’m just- I’m lucky to have you to celebrate my birthday with. Even if I haven’t technically been born yet.”_

__

_They’re silent again then- not uncomfortably so, just basking in one another’s comfort, exchanging soft kisses as the rain continues to pour around them, but they pay it no mind under their blanket. At one point, Dave begins to hum a soft tune that Klaus can’t quite place, and he drums his fingers to an inexistent beat on the skin of Klaus’ arm, who just noses along his neck in return._

__

_Moments like this are the ones Klaus cherishes the most. No haste, no threat of death, no prying eyes and no need for tension. Just them and the love they share. It’s when Klaus really starts imagining their future- he thinks about it all the time, but here is where he can truly begin to picture it; dancing by the light of candles to the sound of Dave’s singing, waking up at the ass crack of dawn only to spend the rest of the day in bed, sitting in their own garden staring into the sunset and exchanging kisses over a home cooked meal. Klaus would quit drugs- or at least, the hard stuff- with Dave’s support, and he’d learn how to control his powers. He’d do it all for their perfect future._

__

_As if reading his mind, Dave spoke in a whisper, treating the moment between them with appropriate fragility, his voice barely a soft whisper carried by the wind to Klaus’ ears;_

__

_“You know, Klaus, I really can’t wait to marry you,” he’d said, and Klaus let out a soft gasp before his face morphed into what he’d dubbed his ‘exclusive soft-Dave smile’- a shy smile accompanied by a flush in his cheeks and the feeling of tears behind his eyes._

__

_“Was that your proposal, Katz? If so, I’m slightly disappointed. I expected a grand gesture.” He says teasingly, to which Dave lets out a deep laugh, his chest vibrating underneath Klaus’ head._

__

_It’s the single most comforting feeling he’d ever felt._

__

_“Not sure what grand gesture you expected, doll. Maybe I can get a banner attached to one of the choppers?”_

__

_“I’m sure that would be satisfactory.”_

__

_Dave chuckled at that, increasing his hold on Klaus to be a little tighter as he did so._

__

_“I love you so much.” He spoke quietly once more, his voice seemingly affected by a certain strain that sounded almost as if he was holding back tears “If I could, I’d prepare every grand gesture under the sun if it meant I could actually call you my husband.”  
“You better shut that pretty mouth before I start crying.”_

__

_They both laugh again, but it’s a wet laugh, one that tells the other that they’re already pretty much in tears._

__

_Aren’t they a pair?_

__

_“I brought this” and, regretfully, for the first time in hours, Klaus is forced to rise from Dave’s chest as he sits up, digging for something beyond Klaus’ vision. Klaus sits back, leaning on their heels and practically vibrating with joyous emotions and anticipation. A small “a-ha!” comes from Dave and Klaus smiles wide as he reveals-_

__

_“A plain piece of paper?”_

__

_Dave gives Klaus a half smirk, looking him up and down swiftly with his eyelashes pressed almost to his eyebrows, and it makes Klaus want to do nothing but press him up against the floor and kiss him until the rain stops and they’re forced to go back to the barracks._

__

_But he doesn’t, because Dave is drumming his fingers anxiously once more, and Klaus sees through his outwardly mischievous demeanour, so he stays where he is and studies Dave carefully, watching as he rips two long strips of paper off and reaches out to Klaus, gracefully grabbing his hand and pressing a kiss to each of his knuckles, then a slower one on the base of the fourth finger of his left hand._

__

_The gesture makes Klaus’ stomach flip and causes a stray tear to fall from his eye, but when he meets Dave’s own eyes, he sees the same._

__

_Dave coughs out a small laugh accompanied by a short sniff, then he speaks;_

__

_“Klaus Hargreeves, will you do me the honour of exchanging paper rings that will no doubt be destroyed the second we step out in the rain?” he says, while tying the ends of the two pieces of paper together to turn them into circular shapes. They’re both outwardly crying now- and it’s cheesy as fuck. The rain outside is getting heavier, the stars shining on them, creating a heavenly glow over Dave’s face that once again has Klaus entertaining the idea that he actually is some otherworldly being. His blue eyes shine with tears and stand out so beautifully in the moonlight and his curls are wildly unpredictable as they dry from the rain. He’s looking at Klaus like he’s some miracle; a smile so wide that his tongue peaks between his teeth, and Klaus just nods, because he knows if he tries to speak, his voice will fail him and he’ll collapse into tears._

__

_Dave slips the stupid ring onto his finger, and then does the same to his own, holding it up under the moonlight as if admiring some jewel and not a scrap of paper, and it makes the tears that Klaus had been holding back flow from his eyes._

__

_“I love you so much, Mr Katz-Hargreeves” Dave says and Klaus laughs out a reply, something along the lines of “if we’re double-barrelling, I don’t see why your name should go first.”_

__

_The jovial argument begins, and Klaus lays back onto Dave’s chest as it does and-_

__

_Yeah, he thinks. This is home._

__

_-_

__

_with you I serve, with you i fall down_

__

__

__

Dave was gone. 

__

His breathing had slowed to a stop just seconds ago, and Klaus had slipped his eyes shut in hope that it’d put a stop to all the memories- all the pain.

__

It didn’t. Because Dave was gone.

__

Dave was _gone._

__

Like a switch- Klaus flipped. One minute, he was sobbing- screaming Dave’s name to the heavens as if anyone was listening, then, he had a gun in his hands and was carelessly stood- shooting at anything that moved on the opposite side.

__

Any single one of them could’ve landed the final shot on Dave, and he had to be sure that they were taken down. He had to.

__

People were screaming at him now- “fuck, Hargreeves! Get down!” but he didn’t listen- he didn’t _care_ if he got shot through the head, because he’d have a greater chance of being with Dave that way. He didn’t care enough to find cover, didn’t care enough to even really aim his shots- he just

__

He didn’t _care._

__

People were still yelling at him, and he could’ve sworn he heard Dave’s voice amongst the masses, but when he looked down, he was still lifeless- still _gone._ Klaus let out a scream and shot some more- missing every single one of them- but the kickback and the volume of the gun made him feel powerful, made him feel like he could take back control of death.

__

All his life, he’s considered himself at one with death. With ghosts following you around and screaming your name endlessly, it’s hard not to feel like that. He _knows_ death, at times, he’s even _craved_ it, but for the first time ever, death has transcended him- it’s beat him. He’s lost.

__

A hand on his shoulder- but he violently shrugs it off. He doesn’t _care._

__

In return, the same hand grabs him by the ankle and drags him tumbling to the ground, just inches away from Dave’s body. He lets out something of a feral growl- the type of noise he’d hear from the monsters inside of Ben-

__

Ben.

__

They hear Ben’s voice whispering in his ear. Ben’s not here- he knows Ben’s not there, but over the years, his voice has become a permanent marking in his brain at times of anxiety, and so he hears-

__

“Klaus. Breathe, Klaus. You’re gonna be okay. Just breathe.” 

__

So he breathes, and with it, he lets out a sob, and leans forward to land in Charles’ outstretched arms.

__

Over the last few months, Charles had become something of a father figure to Klaus. An aged man with greying hair and the wisdom to match, he was the only one who outwardly knew about Klaus and Dave’s relationship. He’d always help with excuses for the pair to spend alone time together and he’d listen to tear filled rants from both of them interchangeably- whether good or bad- and he’d offer advice or hugs or anything he could in return. He’d learn to love the pair, cherishing them with his entire being, and now? 

__

Now, he’s holding Klaus in his arms in a half assed trench as he feebly hits his chest in anguish, and he looks over his shoulder at the lifeless body of Dave and his heart shatters.

__

It’s something he’s always known, deep in his being, that there could be no Klaus without Dave. He didn’t know much about Klaus’ history, but he knew enough from late night conversations over whiskey and a joint- he knew that he didn’t have much of a life before Dave. He knew that Dave had so quickly become everything to him, so quickly become his home, his family, his soul and his heart, and now? 

__

Charles didn’t know. He just held Klaus and let him sob into his chest until they were told to retreat, after which, he had to physically wrench Klaus away from Dave’s body, of which he refused to let go. It wasn’t until Charles slipped to dog tags off of Dave and placed them cautiously around Klaus’ neck that he collapsed once more into Charles’ arms and let him drag him back to the bus. 

__

_only twenty minutes to sleep, but you dream of some epiphany._

__

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed?? IDK anyway this chapter was mainly an introduction and the real bulk of the plot and like story will happen in the next chapter which will be.,, long. anyway thanks for reading!


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